Barring a successful appeal, the state of Nebraska will execute Michael Ryan on March 6, but the sister of one of Ryan's victims is doing all she can to keep that from happening.

It's been 30 years since Miriam Thimm lost her younger brother James Thimm. He was beaten, tortured and killed at a cult compound just outside of Rule, Neb.

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Ryan was the cult's leader and was convicted of two counts of first-degree murder in 1985 for the deaths of Thimm and 5-year-old Luke Stice. Ryan was later sentenced to death.

Despite the graphic details surrounding her brother's death, Miriam Thimm said she forgives Ryan and said he's a sick man.

"When we talk about funding for the death penalty, when we slash mental health funding, we're making a big mistake," she said. "Was Ryan mentally ill? He's never had an MRI scan. He acts a lot like a paranoid-schizophrenic."

Richard Goos was Ryan's attorney during his trial. He said he made that argument all along.

"I'm very sad, because Mr. Ryan is a very sick man," Goos said.

Thimm said the state chooses to ignore Ryan's illness and she's fighting back.

"All the lawyers, all the fighting -- life without parole frees up all that money for good," she said. "How can you not fight the death penalty?"

Thimm already has one victory under her belt. She helped the man who tortured her brother.

Timothy Haverkamp was named "high priest" in Ryan's cult. Thimm wrote to the Nebraska Parole Board and was instrumental in getting him released from prison. She maintains a relationship with Haverkamp and invited him to a peaceful protest scheduled for the day of Ryan's execution. That gathering will be at the First Mennonite Church in Lincoln.

"I want to set up an open forum for people of both sides -- pro and con -- to come and just kind of remember James," said Thimm.

Thimm said if the state hopes to bring her family closure by putting Ryan to death -- it won't.

"Closure is when it's not in the newspaper anymore, not on the news anymore, and it's done," she said.

Ryan's current attorney, Jerry Soucie, continues to fight for his client. If his appeals fail, Ryan will be the first person to be executed by lethal injection in Nebraska.